ham1凵
Jyutpingham1
Yalehām
Definition
A receptacle or open box; radical 17.
writtenother
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively encountered as a radical in Chinese dictionaries or when discussing the structure of complex characters. It is rarely used as a standalone word in modern communication, functioning primarily as a component that visually represents an open container or receptacle. Learners will mostly see it when analyzing the composition of characters like 凶 or 函.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Beginners often confuse this with the character 山, but the stroke order and the orientation of the opening are completely different. Ensure you do not mistake it for a common noun, as it is strictly a structural element in the vast majority of contexts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
